Gender equality and women’s rights are a sensitive but vital topic in India. If you are a female ready for challenges and motivated to support Indian women in their education, empowerment and self-development, then this is the best project for you.
Background
Today, one of the major issues in the Indian society is the discrimination against women, social evils like female foeticide, female infanticide and child marriages still remain rampant in the rural areas. Girls are born with a spot of shame as still Indian families prefer a male child due to malpractices like dowry, rapes and less chances of profitable jobs.
Challenge
Parents do not encourage education to their girls as a result of which in 2011 it was estimated that illiteracy rate in India is 17.86% for men and 34.54% for women. In Rajasthan which is a traditional and conservative state, the figure is worse, female illiteracy rate is 47.88%.
SBB Intervention
STEP Beyond Borders works with a local grass root NGO in Jaipur which aims to provide vocational education to girls and women to provide a chance at self-realisation. We run empowerment projects to provide basic education and vocational training so that girls and women can get socially strong. Currently, with the help of our volunteers we are running free stitching classes and beautician classes empowering girls who start their own business and secure a stable financial income. Volunteers are required to support the project with new ideas to boost the empowerment programs. Important to note is that women don’t speak English which means the main method of teaching should be interactive sessions, visual arts, non-verbal communication. STEP Beyond Borders supports all their women empowerment volunteers with once-twice a week translation provision to ensure that content is delivered smoothly to women.
Main tasks of the volunteers:
- Introduction with the girls/women to understand their interests and needs
- Study and observe the work at the NGO
- Teach English, basic maths, budgeting house-based on the interest of beneficiaries
- Yoga & physical education lessons are welcomed for women
- Provide health, nutrition education and hygiene classes
- Teach how to use smartphones wisely and for educational purposes (some women have cheap Indian smartphones)
- Conduct sessions on menstrual hygiene and importance of sanitary pads
- Young girls whose English is of pre-intermediate level volunteers can provide guidance for resume writing, career progression and talent development
- If there is a volunteer who can teach self-defence, it’s highly appreciated in a male dominated scenario
- Share stories about successful females of other countries and break job-related gender stereotypes among younger girls (girls can’t be police officers, they can’t drive well, etc.)
- Come up with ideas of games, songs, dances to make the teaching interactive
- Assist the NGO head with writing projects, proposals, annual reports, social media promotion and use your skills to add value
- Arts and crafts workshop – handmade item production is very useful to enable the women to sell their products and earn money independently.
Apart from these, we would be happy to welcome and discuss more ideas from you.
- Program Base: Jaipur
- Project duration: 2- 24 Weeks
- Joining dates: Throughout the year
- Arrival date: Saturday or Sunday are preferable, if not weekdays will be managed
- Arrival airport : Jaipur
- Beneficiaries: Vulnerable Girls and Women in slum
- Working days: Monday to Friday, Weekends are off
- Total volunteer hours: timing depends on the women’s group availability. It is usually 2 groups per day – 1 hour per group. There are morning and afternoon shifts.
- Weekends: Free to do sightseeing or travel
- Requirements: Basic English
- Pre-arrival assistance
- Detailed pre-arrival orientation and cultural awareness info
- Pick-up from Jaipur International Airport
- A detailed orientation about India, project, cultural responsibility and things to remember in India, SIM card assistance
- Accommodation with host family (single or dual occupancy) or volunteer house
- All meals (Authentic Indian meals) Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- Resource materials to use on project
- Weekly market visit to shop for your necessities
- Cultural workshops: 1 Hindi class, 1 Indian dress workshop, 1 professional Yoga class, 1 cooking class
- Airport drop at Jaipur International Airport
- Logistics & program assistance if required
- Emergency support
Host family: Indian local family which is ready to receive you like a family member, share food and space with you. Chances of having single or dual occupancy are there as we don’t keep more than 3 people in one room in host families. Host family accommodation is best to discover the local culture and to enjoy tasty home-made Indian food. Food includes breakfast, lunch and dinner made by the host and includes vegetarian authentic dishes like chapatis, daal, vegetables.
Facilities include:
- Shared bedroom (max 2 people)
- Western washroom with toilet & shower
- Hot & cold water
- Filtered water
- Common Fridge
- Common semi-automatic washing machine
- Kitchen access to cook food if wished so
- Wi-Fi or internet Data access
- Family environment
- Comfortable & safe stay option
Volunteer House: This is a common accommodation for our foreign participants to share and experience each other’s culture as we have participants from all over the globe. To ensure understanding and security in this accommodation we have some basic rules to follow to make sure everyone is convenient here. Rules are no smoking inside the accommodation, no night outs, no outsiders allowed. Food in the volunteer house includes breakfast which is self-service (make your own coffee or tea, toast, oats), lunch and dinner are ordered by our coordinator staff with delivery from hygienic and decent restaurants or chefs. Food is vegetarian authentic meals like chapatis, daal, vegetables.
Facilities include:
- Gender based division of participants
- Rooms with max 4 people in
- Western toilets
- Shower
- Kitchen to cook
- Hot & cold water facilities
- Wi-Fi facility
- Semi-automatic washing machine
- Fridge
- Filtered water
- Hindi class
- Indian saree workshop
- Professional Yoga class
- Indian cooking class
- Air fare
- Visa
- Insurance
- Local transportation (mostly on walking distance or support from coordinators)
- SIM card
- Personal expenses
For costs and further details please contact us on info@stepbeyondborders.org